State

By Carol L. Timblin The World OfB&B Across the state, a number of large — occasionally historic — homes are inviting in guests to enjoy the hospitality afforded by a bed-and-breakfast inn. It isn’t hard to fall victim to the charm and style of the bed-and- breakfast inns popping up around North Carolina. At Raleigh’s Oakwood Inn, a Victo¬ rian jewel in Historic Oakwood, after¬ noon arrivals find a plate of cookies and fruit on the bedside table. Diane Newton, who runs the inn, may sug¬ gest a restaurant for your evening meal or let you in on a special play appearing in town. She’ll also want to know the time you want breakfast in the morning. In the evening, you may relax in the parlor, soak in the tub. or crawl be¬ tween the powdered sheets on the an¬ tique bed and read magazines. In the morning, a breakfast of fresh fruit, orange juice, French toast sprinkled with pecans and bacon is elegantly served in the dining room. Guests from Atlanta and Charlotte talk about their plans for the day. Several miles away, guests at the Shield House in Clinton are enjoying a similar experience over a full break¬ fast of ham, eggs, grits and all the trimmings. So are the guests at the Flint Street Photofr»phy by Cuol L Timblrn. and mpartivt mna Inns in Asheville, and so, too, are the guests at the Pilot Knob Inn in Pilot Mountain where the morning fare is home-ground/brewed coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice, fruit, home¬ made sausage biscuits and other de- lectables. In fact, you can duplicate the expe¬ rience with minor variations in at least 30 similar operations across North Carolina. Each of the homes or inns offering bed and breakfast seems to go out of its way to add the little touches that can make an evening’s stay memorable. Amenities at Little Warren in Tar- boro include complimentary sherry in the evening, turn-down service and mints, fresh flowers, guest robes and electric blankets. Pilot Knob Inn guests are treated to fluffy bathrobes and disposable bedroom slippers. “Essentials" at the Shield House in¬ clude color/cable TV. a VCR for movies, copies of The Wall Street Journal, The News and Observer and the local pa¬ per, telephones in the room, soft drinks, shower caps and a sundry cabi¬ net (first-aid items, disposable razors, etc.) that is “on the house." The Sutt/Aprll 88 8 Bed-and-breakfast owners clearly believe that personal sendee is an es¬ sential part of their business, the one area where they can stand out in the crowded field of places offering accom¬ modations. “We try to offer whatever the guests need," says Anita Green, a retired nurse, who runs Shield House with her twin sister, Juanita Green McLamb. “Someone requested a shower cap recently, so we added that. If someone wants to check a book out at the library, we loan our library card." Beaufort's Langdon House, which attracts many couples, will provide picnics, ice chests, sailboat rides, sun tan lotion — just about everything. “My service is wide open," said Jimm Prest, who converted the 1733 historic structure into a bed-and-breakfast after working as an investigator for a beverage company for a few years. “If something they want is outside the budget, I’ll do it for a nominal fee. The secret to this business is catering to the special needs of each guest." No two bed-and-breakfast houses are alike. Some are colonial, some are